There were two very good childhood friends. When they grew older, they went their separate ways. One friend became a tapasvi(Saint) and lived alone in the mountain areas to do his prayers and tapasaya whilst the other friend earned his fortune , was as rich as a King , lived in his palatial house. The tapasvi wore only a langoti ( a loin cloth) while the rich friend lived a lavish life.

Once the rich friend desired to meet his friend who had opted to live a life of a Saint. He was desperate to meet his old friend , so searched high and lo for him. Finally he located his friend, went to meet him and felt very proud that his friend had achieved so much knowledge in a short period, had become a tapasvi. The rich friend invited him to have lunch in his palatial house. The tapasvi friend agreed to visit his house and have lunch with him.

The rich friend was very happy and made beautiful arrangement and decorations to receive his dear friend. He spread costly carpets so that his friend wouldn’t have to walk on hard rough ground.

When the tapasvi friend reached his rich friend’s house he was amused and surprised to see the beautiful arrangements done to greet him. As he reached at the main door, a person at the gate told him “See, your friend has intentionally made this arrangement to make you feel low. He wants to show you that how much he has attained in life and you are nothing. Hearing this the Saints anger rose and his EGO reached the peaks, he felt hurt.

Crazy and angry thoughts spun in his mind. ” I am a great Saint and my friend wants compare his riches with the knowledge I have gained.”, he mused. He then went to a nearby nullah(dirty drainage), dirtied his feet in it and then went to his friend’s house. He spoilt the beautiful carpet with his dirty feet.

The rich friend greeted his friend, but was surprised and angry to see his expensive carpets dirty. At this, the tapasvi friend said that “I have spoilt your carpet to show that I have gained more than you. You have achieved only money, but I have got spiritual knowledge, I am a Saint, a gyani, a tapasvi. His ego knew no bounds.

The rich friend was stunned and replied very politely and apologetically “ Oh, dear friend after sacrificing all worldly and materialistic things, being a Saint, a gyani, your EGO is still intact, it has not gone down. I used to respect you, honour you, used to feel jealous of your achievements, but now I feel very sad that there is no difference between you and me. I have an ego for money and you have an ego for sainthood, your gyan and tapasya. You have lost all that you have achieved.

Learning

One must not get carried by our Ego. We have gained money, knowledge and whatever is good in us through God’s blessings. That ‘I’ is our deadliest enemy. If by chance, we meet with an accident, or any serious illness, all that we gain becomes meaningless. Let us just pray and thank God whatever he has bestowed upon us. Had He not given us sound and healthy body, mind and soul, we could not have achieved anything on this Earth. Let us not feel jealous or get angry at what others have. Let us work hard and do our chores honestly. We will be paid back in abundance for all that good work we do.